The name Curtyce was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. It comes from refined or educated person. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old French word curteis, which means refined or accomplished. [1]
The surname Curtyce was first found in Warwickshire but the name was scattered throughout Britain since early times. By example, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 lists: William le Curteis in Cambridgeshire; Walter Curteys in Oxfordshire; Osbert le Curteys in Essex; Henry Corteys in Devon; and Richard le Corteys in Oxfordshire. [2] Over one hundred years later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 lists Adam Curtase and Johannes Cartas. [2]
We found this interesting entry for one the family in the town of Lostwithiel, Cornwall: "The church contains a memorial for Tristram Curtys, Esq. who died in the year 1423. This family, which is now extinct, occasionally represented this borough from the reign of Edward I. to that of Henry V. Tristram Curtys was member for Lostwithiel in the 9th of Henry V. Leland speaks of his descendant as having 100 marks of land, between Blowgham and Penknek, by Lostwithiel. " [3]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Curtyce research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1130, 1168, 1531 and 1534 are included under the topic Early Curtyce History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Curtyce include Curtis, Curtiss, Curtyss, Curtys, Curtess, Curtes, Cortes, Cortis and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Curtyce Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the Curtyce family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Curtyces to arrive on North American shores: Deodate Curtis who settled in Braintree in the state of Maine in 1643. Henry Curtis settled in Windsor in 1645; and another Henry Curtis settled in Sudbury in 1636. No fewer than 12 notable settlers settled in the New Colonies within the period from 1630 to 1680.